An unbroken century stand between Brian Chari and Craig Ervine gave Zimbabwe a solid start after Asela Gunaratne's maiden Test hundred had carried Sri Lanka to 504 on the second day of the second Test at Harare Sports Club on Monday.

Playing just his second Test, Gunaratne scored 116 to marshal the tail to good effect and frustrate the Zimbabwean bowlers, before his dismissal brought the end of the Sri Lankan innings on the stroke of tea.

When Rangana Herath opened the bowling and grabbed the wickets of Tino Mawoyo and Hamilton Masakadza to reduce Zimbabwe to 17 for two, the hosts looked to be embarking on one of their trademark batting collapses.

But Chari and Ervine added 109 for the third wicket without being parted, taking Zimbabwe to stumps on 126 for two with both batsmen closing the day on 60 not out.

The tourists began the day on 290 for five, with Gunaratne on 13. Dhananjaya De Silva was caught and bowled by leg-spinner Graeme Cremer for 127, before Gunaratne added 54 for the seventh wicket with Dilruwan Perera at a swift rate.

Perera was then trapped lbw by Cremer for 34, but Gunaratne went to lunch on 64 having helped Sri Lanka add 124 runs in the session.

Seamer Donald Tiripano had Herath caught behind and then bowled Suranga Lakmal, but No. 11 Lahiru Kumara held on long enough for Gunaratne to reach three figures and carry the score past 500.

Chari became the first Zimbabwean Test player to hit his first ball for six as he lofted Herath over long-on - then repeated the stroke to go to his maiden Test fifty.

SCORES IN BRIEF

SRI LANKA: First innings 504 all out in 144.4 overs (De Silva 127, Gunaratne 116, Tharanga 79; Tiripano 3-91, Cremer 3-136, Masakadza 2-35)

ZIMBABWE: First innings 126 for 2 in 35 overs (Chari 60 not out, Ervine 60 not out; Herath 2-44)